Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-08
THE OLD RO0FTREE.

man stepped, shook hands with his friend
and replied. 'I've been home to see m,
old father and mother, the first time il
sixteen years, and / tell you. old man.
wouldn't have missed that visit for all m,
fortune"
'Kinder good to visit your boyhoot
home. ch?''
''You bet. Sit down Twas Just think
ing about the old folks, and feel talkative
II you hav a few moments TO spare, sill
down, light cigar. and listen to story
of a rich MN who had almost forgotten
his father and mother
They sat down, and the man told his
story.
How I came TO visit my home hap.
pcncd in a curious way. Six weeks ago i
went down 10 Fire Island fishing. | had
lunch put up at Crook & Nash's, and
you can imagine my astOniShmcnt when
opened the hamper 10 find a package of
crackers wrapped up in piece Of news
paper. That newspaper was the little
patent inside country weekly published at
my home in Wisconsin. | read every
word Of it, advertisements and AL There
was George Kellogg. who WAS a school
mate Of mine, advertising hams and salt
pork. and another boy was postmaster
/ n. 1
determined then and there to go home,
and 90 home | did.
''in the first place must tell You how
l came 10 New York. / had tifT with
my father and left home. finally turned
up in New York with $ in my pocket
got job running a freight elevator III
the very house in which | am now a
partner. Ny haste to get rich drove the
| thoughts of my parents from me. and
| when l did think Of them the hard words
tha, my father last spoke to me ranked
| in my bosom. We'll. | went home
didn't see much change in Chicago. bu:
the magnificent new depot in Milwaukee
| | thought was an improvement on the old
| shed that they used TO have. 1t WAS only
| thirty miles from Milwaukee to my home
and tell you, John, that train seemed to
| creep | was actually worse than a school
| boy going home for vacation. At last
we neared the town. Familiar sights met
my eyes and. darn il all! they filled with
| tears. There was Bin Lyman's red barn.
! Just the same: but, great Scott, what
We're all of the other houses, We rode
| nearly a mile before coming 10 the depot.
| through houses where only occasionally l
saw one that was familiar. The town had
| grown 10 ten times its size when | knew
it, The train stopped and | jumped off.
| Not a face in sight that | knew. and l
started down the platform to go home. In
the Office door stood the station agent. j
walked up and said 'Howdy, Mr.. Col
Ers:'
lie stared at me and replied, You've
| got the best of me. sir
Il told him who was and what had
been doing in New York. and he didn't
make any bones in talking TO me. Said
he: It's about time you came home. You
| in New York rich. and your father
scratching gravel TO get a bare living
Il tell you, John, il knocked me all in
heap. | Thought my father had enough
| Ia live upon comfortably. Then uoticn
struck me. Before going home | tele-
| Craphed To Chicago to one Of our CORE
| spoadents there tn send me 81 coo by first
mail. Then | went into Mr.. Collins
| back Office, got my trunk in there and
| put on an old hand me down suit that /
| used for fishing and hunting. My plug
hat replaced by a soft hat, took my yalse
in my hand anu went home. somehow
the place didn't look right. The currant
bushes had been dug up from the front
yard ana the fence was gone. Iii the old
locust trees had been cut down and Young
| flsitBIp> NtIt isIst!Acu Inc ItGHc lbthSi
smaller somehow. too. But went up to
the front door and rang the bell. Mother
came to the door and said: We don't
wish 10 buy anything to-day, sir
III didn't take me "A minute to survey
ber from head to foot. Neatly dressed,
John, but patch and darn here and
there. her hair strcaked with gray, her
face thin, drawn and wrinkled. Yet over
! l.r ay..rlosS.. Gbn.,a fh,Sp frTpl honest
benevolent eyes. | stood staring at her
and then she began To stare 1t me. ]
saw the blood rush to her face and with Il
| great sob she threw herself upon me and
rervous!y ciasved me about the neck,
| Historically crying: It's Jimmy, it's
Jimmy
Then cried. too, John. i Just broke
down and cried like baby. She got me
into the house, huEginc and kissing me,
| and then she went TO the back door and
| shouted George
Father came in in n moment and from
/ the kitchen asked, " hat you want, Car
'Anc:'
Then he came in. He knew me in 4
moment. He stack ont his hand and
! gras,cd mine. and said, sternly, Well,
young msA. do you propose to behave
| yourself ucw.'
He tried 10 put on brave front. but
he broke down. There we three sat. like
whipped school children, all wEimpering
Al last supper time came and mother
went ont to prepare it. l went into the
kitchen with her.
"'WLcre do you live, jimmy she
asked
".In New York, replied.
| "'What you workin' at now, Jimmy"
".rm working in n dry goods store
"'Then l suppose yOu don't live very
kigll, FOR / hear tell o them city clerks
what don't get enough money to keep
body aad soul together. SO I'll Just tell
you, Jimmy, we got pothil' but roast
| eparerlps Tor supper. we amt got any
money now, Jimmy. We're poorer nor
jobs turkey
Il told her that / would be delighted
with the spareribs, and to tell the truth,
John, | haven't eaten meal in New York
that tasted as well as those crisp roasted
| spareribs did. l spent the evening play
ing checkers with father, while mother
sat by telling me all about their misfor-
tunes, from old white Mooley getting
drowned in the pond To fathers signing II
nse for friend and having TO mortgage
the place TO pay il. The mortgage was
due inside Of a week and not cent to
meet il with-iust $500 She supposed
they would be turned out of house and
home. but in my mind l supposed they
wouldn't. At last . O'clock came, and
father said: Jim, 90 out TO the barn and
and see if Kit is ali right. Bring in an
armful of old shingles that are just inside
the door and ill up the water pail. Then
well 20 off to bed and get up early and
go a-fishing.'
II didn't say word, but went ont 81
the barn, bedded down the horse, broke
up an armful Of shingles, pumped pal
of water, filled the woodboX. and then VT